Ch. 9 Sexuality

Society has become more accepting toward the idea of casual sex, sex before marriage, as long as it is in the context of a committed relationship. In addition, men are more permissive to the idea of casual sex than women are.

How have attitudes about gay sex changed over time?

the idea of homosexuality has become more morally acceptable in the past few years and people are more accepting of the idea if they believe homosexuality is a result of biological rather than social influences

What is the modern standard of casual sex?

women viewed more favorably by others when inviting someone for casual sex (she is presumed to be more warm, less dangerous, and better in bed)

Although, both men and women are evaluated negatively when being promiscuous with sex

women with an STI are viewed more harshly than men

What is the sexual double standard?

the standard where men are viewed as "studs" for having multiple sex partners whereas women are viewed as "sluts" for having multiple sex partners

What are the themes underlying the motives for sex in committed relationships?

emotional: sex communicating love and commitment

physical: pleasure and expressions of attraction for partner

pragmatic: the wish to attain some goal such as making a baby or making someone jealous

insecurity: desire to boost one's self-esteem or to keep a partner from straying

What is extradyadic sex and what do people think about it?

having sex outside the dyad (couple)with someone other than one's partner. Men are more open to this idea than women but women pursue a more emotional connection rather than a physical connection. Although, most people, when asked, disapprove of this action

What does the good genes hypothesis suggest?

women with less desirable mates tend to profit from a dual mating strategy where they pursue long-term partners who will contribute resources to protect and feed their offspring while surreptitiously seeking good genes for their children from other men

What are the sex differences in sex drives?

men, in general, have higher sex drives than women: men masturbate more often, want sex more often, want sex sooner in developing relationships, fantasize about sex more often, spend more money on sex, and more accepting of casual sex than women

What is the illusion of unique invulnerability?

the belief that bad things are generally more likely to happen to others than to us

What is alcohol myopia?

reduction of people's abilities to think about and process all of the information available to them when they are intoxicated

How have cultural factors influenced the prominence of unsafe sex?

underestimates of risk: being unaware of how likely they are to catch STDs without protection